CAPACITOR

It a device for
storing charges.
 C
E
 TYPES OF
CAPACITORS
Types Fixed Capacitors
belonging to the major
capacitor types, these have
set capacitance values.

Variable Capacitors
in contrast, these capacitors
feature adjustable
capacitance values, making
them tunable.
 Fixed Capacitors

Fixed Capacitors are further classified into the following main types:

Ceramic capacitors
Film and paper capacitors
Electrolytic capacitors
Glass, air-gap, vacuum, silicon, silver mica capacitors
Super capacitors
 Fixed Capacitors
Capacitors are used for applications like motor, suppression, power, DC-
link, audio crossover, snubber, lighting ballast, coupling, bypassing, or
decoupling capacitors.

They fall into two main groups:

Polarized
Non-Polarized

For instance, film and ceramic capacitors are non-polarized, while super
and electrolytic capacitors are polarized.
Ceramic Capacitor

Ceramic capacitors, a popular

type, find use in various
applications like audio and RF.
Their affordability and reliability
make them stand out. Capacities
range from a few pico-farads to
0.1 micro-farads, and their loss
factor, dependent on the dielectric,
remains generally low.
Electrolytic Capacitor

This polarized capacitor is

excellent for low-frequency
applications like audio
coupling and power supplies,
offering high capacitance
values typically above 1μF.
Film and Paper Capacitors

Various film capacitors, including polystyrene

and metalized polyester, are tailored for
specific needs. Polystyrene film capacitors,
economically priced, offer limited frequency
response up to a few hundred kHz and provide
close-tolerance capacitors for specific
applications. Polyester film capacitors have a
low tolerance of 5% or 10%, but their cost is
economical. Metalized polyester film capacitors,
created from metalized polyester film, are
notably smaller than regular polyester film
capacitors due to thin electrodes, making them
fit into smaller packages efficiently.
Super Capacitor

The super capacitor, also called

“supercap” or “ultra-capacitor,” is
a popular type known for its
exceptionally large capacitance
values, reaching several thousand
Farads. It finds widespread use in
automotive applications and
systems requiring a memory hold-
up supply.
Silver Mica Capacitor

This capacitor type ensures

higher stability, with excellent
accuracy and low loss. Silver mica
capacitors, typically employed in
RF applications with maximum
values of 1000 pF, are not as
popular as other capacitors
mentioned in this article, despite
their utility.
Glass Capacitor

T h i s c a p a c i t o r, n a m e d f o r i t s
dielectric material, utilizes glass,
ensuring high performance with
low loss. Notably, glass capacitors
have a high RF current capability,
contributing to their reputation as
expensive capacitors in the market.
Tantalum Capacitor

Considered polarized, this

capacitor type delivers a very high
capacitance level. While effective
for high capacitance, they are
unsuitable for handling high ripple
currents or voltages beyond their
working voltage.
Polycarbonate Capacitor

With a very high tolerance, these

capacitors are ideal for systems
requiring exceptional reliability and
performance. Designed to retain
their capacitance value over time,
polycarbonate capacitors exhibit
stability in a wide temperature range
from -55°C to +125°C. Similar to
silver mica capacitors,
polycarbonate capacitors are
relatively less popular.
 CAPACITANCE
qis the ability of a capacitor to store charges. The capacitance
C of a capacitor is mathematically defined as the ratio of the
amount of charge q in one plate to the potential difference V
between plates. In symbols,
�
�=
�
 Capacitance
The SI unit of capacitance is the farad (F) named after Michael Faraday.
Note that 1 farad is equal to 1 coulomb per volt.

The capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor is affected by the following

factors:

a. The area of plates. The bigger the area of plates, the greater the
capacitance.
b. The distance between the plates. The closer the plates to one another,
the greater the capacitance.
c. The insulating material or dielectric between them. The capacitance is
determined in terms of the materials’s permitivitty constant ε - the
higher the ε, the greater the capacitance.
Capacitance

The dependence of the capacitance of a parallel

plate capacitor on the factors cited above is
mathematically expressed as,
Eq. 1, �
�=�
�
where A is the area of one plate, d is the distance
between the plates, and � is the permitivitty of
the insulating material of dieletric.
Capacitance
The relative permitivitty or dielectric constant �R is
the ratio of the permitivitty � of the dielectric to the
permitivitty �0 of vacuum of air.
Eq. 2, �
�R =
�0
N o t e t h a t � R h a s n o u n i t . A l s o , t h e r e l a t iv e
permitivitty is greater than equal to one.
Capacitance
Rewriting the equation 1 using equation 2.

� �
� = � = ���0
� �

�0�
Note that �0 = (capacitance with air or vacuum
�
as the dielectric). Therefore, � = ���0
Capacitance
Inserting a dielectric other than air or vacuum increases
the capacitance to an amount equal to �R times its original
value.

There is a limit to the potential difference between the

plates of the capacitor. When the maximum potential
difference is exceeded, the dielectric becomes a
conductor, allowing the flow of charges. These moving
charges from sparks or discharge. This condition is called
dielectric breakdown. Lightning is an example of a
dielectric breakdown.
1. A capacitor consists of two square metal plates, each
measuring 5.00 x 10-2 m on a side. In between the plates is a
sheet of mica measuring 1.00 x 10 -4 m thick. (a) What is the
capacitance of this capacitor? If the charge in one plate is 2.00
x 10 -8 C, what is the (b) potential difference and (c) electric
field between plates?
Given: side of the square plate = 5.00 x 10-2 m ; d = 1.00 x 10-4
m ; q = 2.00 x 10-8 C
a. From table 2-1, the permitivitty of mica is 4.8 x 10-11 C2 /N*m
� (����)� (�.� � ��−� �)�
�=� =� = ( 4.8 � 10 − 11 �2 /� ∗ �) [ ] = �. � � �� −��
� � �.�� � ��−� �
1. A capacitor consists of two square metal plates, each
measuring 5.00 x 10-2 m on a side. In between the plates is a
sheet of mica measuring 1.00 x 10 -4 m thick. (a) What is the
capacitance of this capacitor? If the charge in one plate is 2.00
x 10 -8 C, what is the (b) potential difference and (c) electric
field between plates?
Given: side of the square plate = 5.00 x 10-2 m ; d = 1.00 x 10-4
m ; q = 2.00 x 10-8 C
b. The potential difference between the plates may be computed
using Eq.
� �.�� � ��−� �
�= = = ��. � � �� �� �
� �.� � �� �
−�
1. A capacitor consists of two square metal plates, each
measuring 5.00 x 10-2 m on a side. In between the plates is a
sheet of mica measuring 1.00 x 10 -4 m thick. (a) What is the
capacitance of this capacitor? If the charge in one plate is 2.00
x 10 -8 C, what is the (b) potential difference and (c) electric
field between plates?
Given: side of the square plate = 5.00 x 10-2 m ; d = 1.00 x 10-4
m ; q = 2.00 x 10-8 C
c. The electric field of the capacitor may be computed using Eq.
� ��.� �
�= = = ��. � � �� � �/� �� �� � ��� �/�
� �.�� � ��−� �
!